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[original in the Royal Library in Berlin]
Dear, esteemed Friend,
Before everything allow me to repeat to you what, next after myself, you ought properly to have known best a long time ago-- namely, that no one honors and admires you more truly than my humble self.
When opportunity occurs we can certainly have a friendly discussion on the importance of a work, a man, even a town indeed. For the present I am specially rejoicing in the prospect of an early performance of your opera, and beg you most urgently to let me know about it a few days beforehand, as I shall most certainly come to Leipzig on that occasion, and then we can also arrange for it to be studied in Weymar as soon as possible afterwards. Perhaps you will also find time there to make me acquainted with your "Faust." For this composition I am anxiously waiting, and your resolution to give this work a greater length and breadth appears to me most judicious. A great subject demands generally a grand treatment. Although the Vision of Ezekiel attains in its small dimensions the culminating point of Raphael's greatness, yet he painted the School of Athens and the entire frescoes in the Vatican.
"Manfred" is glorious, passionately attractive! Don't let yourself be stopped in it; it will refresh you for your "Faust"-- and German art will point with pride to these twin productions.
Schuberth has sent me your "Album fur die Jugend" [Album for the Young], which, to say the least, pleases me much. We have played your splendid trio here several times, and in a pretty satisfactory manner.
Wagner stayed some days here and at Eisenach. I am expecting tidings from him daily from Paris, where he will assuredly enlarge his reputation and career in a brilliant manner.
Would not your dear wife (to whom I beg to be kindly remembered) like for once to make a romantic country excursion into the Thuringer Wald [the Thuringian Forest]? The neighborhood is charming, and it would give me great pleasure to see her again at Weymar. A very good grand piano, and two or three intelligent people who cling to you with true sympathy and esteem, await you here.
But in any case there will appear in Leipzig as a claqueur [clapper (to applaud)]
Your unalterably faithful friend,
F. Liszt Weymar, June 5th, 1849
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